The present invention relates to display devices of the type where prong-like hooks project from a pegboard or other carrying structure for the purpose of supporting in retail outlets packages which are readily visible to prospective purchasers.
Display devices of the above type are widely used in all types of retail establishments. It has become customary to use in devices of the type over the years single-prong hooks. These hooks are in the form of a fairly robust elongated substantially rigid rod or wire member having at its rear end a configuration enabling it to project into the opening of a carrying structure so that the single-prong hook can in a stable manner project forwardly to be received in openings of the packages which are to be suspended one behind the other from the hook.
Arrangements of the above general type for the purpose of placing on display packaged merchandise in virtually universal in retail outlets. With space at a premium, most displays of the above type are set up with little or no regard for the safety of the consumer or for the personnel of the retail establishment. Because the single-prong hooks are in the form of relatively rigid wires as set forth above, they terminate at their front free ends in hazardous objects which unavoidably cause a large number of injuries sustained both by consumers as well as store employees who are responsible for restocking the hooks. Injuries of the above type have proved to be fairly frequent and, unfortunately, in many cases such injuries involve the eyes, causing partial or permanent loss of sight. In addition, a great many of the above injuries involve children and are highly severe in nature.
In order to alleviate the above conditions, it has been proposed to provide display hooks which are of a broader construction than the above single-prong hooks so that there is less possibility of injuries due to puncture or abrasion by the free ends of the single-prong hooks. As a result of these considerations, most manufacturers of carded products have converted to a construction where the carded products have at their upper end regions slotted die-cut holes forming horizontally extending elongated slots to receive the broader types of supporting hooks for displays of the above type. These slotted openings are of course superior to the single-hole perforations designed to receive the single-prong wire-type of supports.
With slots of the above type formed in the carded products, it is possible to use double-loop or hairpin-type of prongs, and these supports are much safer than the single-prong type of supports inasmuch as the double-loop or hairpin-type prongs have rounded front ends which cannot cause the injury occasioned by inadvertent engagement with the free ends of the single-prong hooks. Regrettably, however, conversion from the single-prong hooks to the double-loop or hairpin-type of prongs will take several years before becoming standard practice in retail outlets. The result is that single-prong hooks continue to be utilized to a very large extent. There are in fact millions, and probably billions, of single-prong hooks in use in retail establishments. The cost of replacing these single-prong hooks with loop-type hooks is staggering, and it can only be expected that the conversion to the safer type of hook will take an extremely long time.